Showcasing colt Raghu (NZ) led all of the way to win a dramatic $250,000 Res. Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Karaka 3YO Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie at the Karaka Million Twilight Meeting last night.
Raghu fought off challenges throughout the race and then the connections had to fight off challenges in the stewards’ room .Third placegetter Tavago (NZ) (Tavistock) protested against both first and second and fourth placegetter No More Tears (NZ) (Darci Brahma) also submitted a protest against the runner-up, It’s Ben Again (NZ) (Danroad).
Stewards dismissed both protests after a prolonged hearing and the placings stood.
Jumping from barrier two with Michael McNab aboard, the two made use of his inside barrier, setting the pace with It’s Ben Again and No More Tears trailing. The three fought out a driving finish with Raghu just edging It’s Ben Again by a nose, with Travago (NZ) (Tavistock) flashing down the outside to finish a third.
"I said to be forward and ride the speed,” commented trainer Tony Pike. "He’s an honest colt. We took the blinkers off him today and it made the difference. He wore them for the first time in his last start and just got beaten because he didn’t see the other horse. He really fought hard when the other horse got to him this time.
"He’s entered for the Derby, he’s by Showcasing but he’s out of a mare by Zabeel.”
The Haunui Farm based stallion Showcasing sired last year’s winner of the Karaka Million, Hardline (NZ), with both horses from his first crop to race. Showcasing’s barnmate at Haunui Farm, Iffraaj, sired this year’s Karaka Million winner, Xiong Feng (NZ).
Showcasing has 25 horses catalogued at Karaka 2016 which commences today, with 15 yearling catalogued in the Select Sale and 10 yearling entered in the Festival Sale.
Raghu has now won two races from six starts with three placings and has earned $151,050 in stakes for his owners Bradbury Bloodstock.
Bradbury Bloodstock purchased Raghu for $180,000 at the 2014 Karaka Premier Sale from Jamieson Park.
Raghu is out of the unraced Zabeel mare Fantasy World, a half-sister to Latin Quarter, a winner of 21 races including the Listed Baillieu Handicap, Elected, a winner of 8 races including the Listed Ascot Handicap, and So Happy, a winner of 8 races.
Yearlings purchased at this year’s NZB National Yearling Sales Series will be eligible to race in the new $1,000,000 Karaka Million 3YO Classic in 2018.
